The preferred embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a multi-beam power contact for an electrical connector.
Connectors are used to provide temporary, detachable electrical connections between components of a system. For example, connectors may be used to help transmit electrical power in a system. As connectors are mated, the mating parts exert normal forces on each other. Stronger normal forces result in less contact resistance at the connection. Stated another way, as the normal forces exerted by two connectors on one another increase, the resistance between the connectors decreases, and visa versa. As the resistance is decreased, the current capacity of the connectors increases. Contacts may also be gold plated to reduce contact resistance. Lower contact resistance is desirable, since, as current passes through the contact, the contact will heat up more as the contact resistance level increases. The contact resistance, and resulting heating of the contact, determine the maximum amount of current that the connector is capable of carrying. However, higher normal forces, while reducing contact resistance, have the detrimental effect of increasing wear as the connector is mated and unmated, and thereby limiting the durability of the connector. Prior art contacts have had to sacrifice one of the important qualities of lower contact resistance or durability to achieve the other.
FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a conventional contact 10 that includes relatively wide top and bottom beams 12 and 14 extending from the body of contact 10. The beams 12 and 14 are configured to accept a substantially flat contact from a mating connector (not shown) that fits over the top beam 12 and under the bottom beam 14 and is held in electrical contact with the top beam 12 and bottom beam 14. The contact 10 induces normal forces acting in a substantially perpendicular direction outward on a mating contact of the mating connector. The greater the normal forces, the lower the contact resistance and thus the higher the amount of current that the contact may carry. However, greater normal forces result in greater wear and less durability. Thus, the prior art design sacrifices either current carrying capability or durability.
In certain applications, contacts that carry power may be joined into a mated position while under electric load. This is referred to as hot-plugging. One example of hot-plugging occurs when computer power supply systems are exchanged. Hot plugging results in arcing which in turn damages the gold plating and erodes the base metal on contacts, which increases the contact resistance. Once the beams of the contact are damaged in this way, the contact""s ability to carry current is severely limited.
It is an object of at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention to overcome the above-noted and other disadvantages of conventional power contacts.
At least one embodiment of the present invention is provided including a multi-beam power contact. The multi-beam power contact includes a main body with a connector interface edge and a mounting edge. A plurality of at least three beams extend from the connector interface edge of the main body. The beams are adapted for mating with a mating connector, and the beams also comprise contact areas adapted for electrical connection with a mating connector. At least two of the beams may have different normal forces.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, the multi-beam power contact includes a total of eight beams divided into four pairs of opposed beams that are adapted to engage opposite sides of the mating connector.
Optionally, the multi-beam power contact may also include at least one initial contact beam and at least one non-initial contact beam. The initial contact beam is arranged to electrically connect to the mating connector before the non-initial contact beam electrically connects while the multi-beam power contact is being mated. This arrangement may be accomplished by providing an initial contact beam that extends further away from the main body than other contact beams. Optionally, the longest beam may be located closest to the mounting edge of the contact.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, the multi-beam power contact includes beams divided into two groups arranged along two substantially parallel planes. The beams may be aligned in a common plane and separated by a slot. The beams may also have different widths at a point of intersection with the connector interface edge. Optionally, the beams may be integral with the main body.
At least one embodiment of the present invention is provided including a power connector having a multi-beam power contact. The multi-beam power contact includes a main body with a connector interface edge and a mounting edge. The multi-beam power connector also includes a plurality of beam pairs extending from the connector interface edge. The beam pairs each comprise two beams, and the beams comprise contact areas for electrical connection. At least two of the beam pairs may have different normal forces. Further, the two beams forming a beam pair may be aligned substantially symmetric to each other.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, at least one beam pair may be an initial contact beam pair and at least one beam pair may be a non-initial contact beam pair. The initial contact beam pair is arranged so that it electrically connects to a mating connector in a staged manner before the non-initial contact beam pair electrically connects when the power connector is mated to the mating connector. The staged connection arrangement may be accomplished by providing an initial contact beam pair that extends further away from the main body than a non-initial contact beam pair. Optionally, the plurality of beam pairs may comprise one initial contact beam pair and three non-initial contact beam pairs. The longest beam pair may be located closer to the mounting edge than the other beam pairs.
At least one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a power connector including a multi-beam power contact having a main body with first and second body portions having connector interface edges and mounting edges. A plurality of beam pairs extend from the connector interface edges. Beam pairs may be formed from two beams, with one beam of the beam pair extending from the first body portion and a second beam of the beam pair extending from the second body portion. Optionally, the beams forming a beam pair may be substantially symmetric to each other.
Optionally, at least one initial contact beam pair and at least one non-initial contact beam pair may be provided, with an initial contact beam pair arranged to electrically connect before a non-initial contact beam pair when the power connector is mated to a mating connector. The initial contact beam pair may extend farther away from the main body than the non-initial contact beam pair. Optionally, cross-beams may be included connecting joining edges of the first body portion and the second body portion.